Device for launching projectiles



July 20, 1948. J JANNEY 2,445,326

DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING PROJECTILES Filed Oct. 21, 1944 Herman Jessa Janney awm+%awm Patented July 20, 1948 (Granted under the act of March 3-, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) The invention described nremnay be manufact-tired and used by or foithe Government for governmental purposes without the payment 'to me of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to devices for launching projectiles and its general object is to provide a device of this character adapted to be set near roadways or the like, where ene'in'y vehicles, tanks, etc., are eir'pected t'o and in which the device is caused to function by the target at the moment the "target presents itself in the line of fire.

A runner object of rn'yinv'ehtion is to provide a device of this character adapted to be conceal'ed from View, which very little noise will result from the lauhchi-ng operation, and since it is contemplated that the device will be concealed underground with only the muzzle of the launching tube visible, resulting smoke or flash will not be visible from the target area, and in which the contact point adapted to be set off by the target is quite small and may vei y well be missed by 'a number of target-vehicles. The invention contemplates that a number of the devices may be placed at desired intervals alongside a roadway, trail, natural pass, or other expected points of passage, which placement will tend to cause intermittent attacks on various targets in a column or group 'ofvehi'cles, thereby causing confusion in the enemy column or group and increasing the difiicul'ty in locating the origin of the attack. A single advance vehicle might very well miss a number of contact points along the roadway, etc, before striking a contact point and thus the danger points passed by this vehicle will remain unknown to the enemy. I

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is semiautomatic in operation, which is capable of launching a number of projectiles without any manual re-setting, which is self loading, and which, upon the launching of a projectile or shell will automatically become re-set, ready for another launching when contact poi-nt is struck by another vehicle or target.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is electrically operated, which lends itself to a defense system for highways or the like, the system presenting hazards to an invading force but not disrupting the highway, and which may be prepared well in advance of an expected invasion, while in the interim the highway may be used by friendly vehicles by leaving the electrical ele- 2 ments disconnected until such time as the invasion begins or shortly therebefore.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is novel in construction, which is economical to manufacture, which is simple and positive in operation, which requires no special type of projectile but which contemplates the use of standard projectiles of the type adapted to explode on impact with a target, which does not require the services of a specialist to install, but which may readily and quickly be placed in position by 'a novice, and which presents no more hazards in handling or installing than the normal handling of impact type projectiles.

With these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter more fully appear and which will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating 'a roadway "with enemy vehicles thereon and showing my improved launching device in' place and the electric wiring system utilized";

Figure 2 is a section of the roadway and of my launching device in place at the sidethereof, and a front elevation of a vehicle engaging the contact point in the roadway;

Figure 3 is a side net-actual vivv, partly in section of my improved launching device; 7

Figure 4 is an enlarged, transverse, vertical sectional view, taken on the line 4''4 of Fig; 3;

Figure 5 is a detail plan new, illustrating the electric automatic switch mechanism;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of the cartridge chambers with a cartridge in firing position; and

Figure '7 is an enlarged etail view of the com tact point in the roadway.

Referring now to the drawings in which sent lar reference characters represent similar pa" 5, the numeral it designates a roadway, provided with a contact point l2 which may be a cut out section of the roadway surface, or a suitable deprssabl'e member placed in an opening provided in the roadway, with a metal contact "stud M on the underside thereof adapted to contact on depression an oppositely disposed con-tact stud E5 of a metallic plate 18', to which is secured lead wire 28 of the electric circuit. Contact point I! is suitably grounded as shown at '22, and the contact studs I and 1B are librmal-ly maintained in spaced relation under action of coil spring t5, adapted to 'cofita'c't to firiiiit contact of said studs when a weight is placed on contact point I2.

For the purpose of illustration, enemy vehicle 24 is shown in Fig. 1, as having missed a contact point in the roadway, while enemy vehicle 26, here shown as a tank, is approaching contact point l2, the contact point being struck, as s own in Fig. 2.

A suitable power source, such as a storage battery 28 is provided in the circuit, as is the automatic switch mechanism about to be described, which is positioned in a suitable waterproof container 38, and comprises a rotatable member 32 secured to a conventional shaft 42 and provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth 34. A lever 36 is rotatably mounted on shaft 42 and carries a pawl 38 adapted to be held in engagement with teeth 34 by means of spring 40 carried by lever 38. A conventional solenoid with plunger 43 is attached to one side of lever 36 while one end a coil spring 44 is attached to the opposite side of the lever. The other end of coil spring 44 is attached to the container 38 in any suitable manner, so that the spring is expanded, tending to pull and normally holding the lever in position away from the solenoid. Rotatable member 32 is provided with a contact arm 32a, adapted to successively engage a plurality of identical contacts 46, from which individual wires 28a lead to a like number of cartridges, later to be described, in my improved launching device, and thence on to be suitably grounded as shown at 2%.

The launching device proper comprises a guide tube 48 having the necessary diameter to launch the projectile selected and a magazine 58 having a cover 52, adapted to receive any desired number of projectiles 54, which projectiles are successively fed, by gravity, from the bottom of the magazine to position in the launching device in the breech end of the guide tube 48, as shown in Fig. 3. The projectile to be launched is normally maintained in the tube by a pawl 56 positioned through the underside of the tube ,48, and pressed upwardly by spring 58 attached to the tube 48 and engaging pawl 56. The pawl 56 is so designed that a forward thrust of the projectile depresses the pawl, permitting the projectile to pass, at which time spring58 returns the pawl to engage and maintain the succeeding projectile in position in the tube. The breech end of tube 48 is provided with a central opening 60 and in alignment with this opening and surrounding same is one end of a plunger barrel 62, containing a plunger 64, one end of which normally extends a slight distance through opening 60 and rests against the center of the base of the projectile which is positioned in the tube in the firing position, as shown in Fig. 3. The other end of plunger 64 is provided with a suitable piston 56, forming an annular shoulder on the plunger 64, adapted to seat one end of coil spring 68, coiled around plunger 64, with its other end resting against plunger guide 10, an annular guid within the plunger barrel B2 and surrounding opening 60 in the breech end of tube 48. Intermediate its ends, plunger barrel B2 is provided with an exhaust port 12. An L-shaped conduit 14 forms a prolongation of the plunger barrel 62, and is provided with an end closure 16 and with a plurality of identical cartridge chambers 18 in communication therewith. Each cartridge chamber is provided with a cover 80, hinged at 82 with a latch 84, for securing the cover in closed position, as shown in Fig. 6, and with a central opening 86 through which electric wires 20c and 20a are connected to a conventional electric primer 83 of a conventional shot gun shell or cartridge 90 from which the shot has been removed and filled with a suitable powder, or explosive 92 adapted to be exploded by the electric primer 88 when the contact point I2 is struck by an enemy vehicle. The rim of the cartridge 98 is adapted to rest on the annular top of chamber 18 and be securely held in place by annular shoulder 94, of the cover 80.

Suitable supports or legs 56 and 98 are provided for the tube 48 and magazine 52, while support N10 is provided for the plunger barrel 62 and associated parts.

In operation, the device, wiring etc., having been installed in position as described and illustrated, an enemy vehicle strikes contact point l2, forcing contact studs l4 and I6 into contact with each other, completing an electrical circuit through wir 20, lever 35, rotatable member 32, contact arm 32a, wire 20a and wire 20c and grounds 28b and 22. Electric current being supplied by wire 20a to the conventional electric primer 88 of the cartridge 90, same is exploded and expanding gases thereof contact piston 66 of plunger 84, thrusting the plunger forward, thereby launching the projectile. Since the launching device has been previously set to aim at the roadway at a point above and slightly behind the contact point, the vehicle making the contact will be struck by the projectile and demolished. When in its thrust, the plunger piston 66 passes exhaust port 72 the gases will escape through the port and plunger 64 will return to normal position in the plunger barrel under action of coil spring 58, another projectile will feed into the tube 48 and the launcher is again ready to function. When the solenoid is activated by the electrical current, lever 36 operating between suitable stops, not shown, will be drawn in a counter-clockwise direction and pawl 38, engaging one of ratchet teeth 34, will move rotatable member 32 and contact arm 32a to engagement with the next succeeding contact 46. Contact point [2 having been relieved of pressure will return to normal position under influence of spring IS, the circuit is broken, lever 36 returns under influence of spring 44, to the limit of its movement in a clockwise direction, pawl 38 rides over and engages the next succeeding ratchet tooth 34 and the device is then in position ready to launch the next projectile.

It will be understood, of course, that suitable insulation is to be provided for the wiring and electrical conducting parts, and that, if desired, the grounds 28b and 22 may be dispensed with and a return wiring system for a complete circuit substituted therefor.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention itis to be understood that various changes or modifications may be made in the invention which has been described without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as claimed.

I claim:

1. A device for launching projectiles, comprising a magazine adapted to support a plurality of projectiles in superposed relation with their axes parallel to each other, a stationary launching tube axially parallel to said projectiles opening at its inner end into the magazine in position to receive the lowermost projectile in the magazine in coaxial relation, said magazine having an opening in its side opposite the launching tube and in line therewith, a barrel secured to the magazine in gas-tight relation thereto, a reciprocable plunger in said barrel with one end passing through said opening in the magazine with a gas-tight fit and in position to engage the lowermost projectile in the magazine, a piston on the plunger to receive the thrust of combustion gases of a propellent charge, a closed end gas conduit communicating with the barrel and having a charge chamber opening into said conduit, a propellent charge in said chamber, means for detonating said charge to operate the plunger, means for returning said plunger to normal position, and means for exhausting the products of combustion of the charge from the barrel.

2. A device for launching projectiles, comprising a magazine adapted to support a plurality of projectiles in superposed relation with their axes parallel to each other, a stationary projectile discharge tube opening into an end of the magazine in position to receive a projectile from the magazine in coaxial relation therewith, the magazine being provided on one side opposite said tube with an opening in line with said launching tube, a barrel secured to the magazine in gas-tight relation thereto, a reciprocable plunger in said barrel and extending with a gas-tight fit through said opening in the magazine in position to engage a projectile, a piston on the plunger to receive the thrust of combustion gases of a propellent charge, a closed end gas con-- duit communicating with the barrel, a charge chamber communicating with the conduit, an electrically detonatable charge in said chamber which when detonated provides the propellent force for said plunger for launching the projectile, spring means for returning the plunger to normal position, an exhaust port in the barrel, and electrical means including a contact-maker remote from the discharge tube and in the path of a target to successively energize said electrical means upon contact of said target therewith, to detonate said charge to launch the projectile.

3. A device for launching projectiles, comprising a magazine adapted to support a plurality of projectiles in superposed relation with their axes parallel to each other, a projectile discharge tube opening into an end of the magazinc in position to receive a projectile from the magazine in coaxial relation, the magazine being provided on the side opposite said tube with an opening in line with said launching tube, a barrel secured to the magazine in gas-tight relation thereto, a reciprocable plunger in said barrel and extending with a gas-tight fit through said opening in the magazine and positioned to engage a projectile in the magazine, a piston on the plunger to receive the thrust of combustion gases of a propellent charge, a closed end gas conduit communicating with said barrel, a plurality of chambers communicating with said conduit, an electrically detonatable propellent charge in each chamber, an electrical circuit including a source of electrical supply, a target operated contactmaker remote from the discharge tube to successively open and close said circuit responsive to successive contacts of a plurality of targets therewith, and a selective switch having a plurality of contact points, one for each charge, a rotatable switch element having a contact arm, and electrical means for rotating the switch arm to selectively engage said contact points to successively fire the charges with each successive closing of the remote contact-maker.

HERMAN JESSE JANNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Nov. 2, 1920 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1934 Number Number 

